41 



6. Until recently, undemocranc governments prevented the normal growth of 

 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) reinforcing social, economic and 

 gender inequ:ties. 



7. Afri;a has the lowest human resources development of any continent. 

 Instirutions in all sectors, particularly in the environmental sector, are critically 

 underdeveloped. 



Although African participation is critical, Africans cannot afford to undertake unilateral 

 mitigation or* environmental degradation. The international community must have a major 

 role in this process. 



Five basic principles should ;>uide conservation of nature and ecological processes: 



1 . Ensure that use is sensitive to ecological processes; 



2. Promote ethics for sustainable living; 



3. Reduce the poverty level of rural communities by ensuring that they benefit in 

 equitable shares of reicurces; 



4 Balance human numbers with available resources by promoting population and 



devebpmen: policies that bring population growth into stable balance with the 

 resources that can support them. 



5. Involve women in the conservation process, for they act as natural resource managers 

 across the continent. 



vVWF's commitment to con *:rvation of biological diversity and development of sound natural 

 resource management practice in Africa and Madagascar has resulted in support for 

 cor.icr.auon efforts in more ;han 40 countries since 1962. We are uniquely positioned to 

 address the threat; :o Africa's environment and the associa:ed biological diversity. We have 

 developed "strategies" that t;\:iie and integrate our program effort. Our interventions in the 



